On September 27, 1987 we opened our doors to living the dream, a dream to open a small brewery that focused on quality, creativity, and authenticity,

26 was on tap during the Full Sail's hop-gathering expedition to Sodbuster Farms last month...it's a beautiful beer to look at and to drink...Foystonfoto

26, the brewery's 26th anniversary beer, a 6 percent, 60 ibu hoppy pilsner that will be on shelves soon and through the entire next year...and you know you should be glad...Foystonfoto

Just FYI --- 26 was on tap Thursday afternoon at The Beermongers...

“On September 27, 1987 we
opened our doors to living the dream, a dream to open a small brewery
that focused on quality, creativity, and authenticity,” says Full
Sail founder Irene Firmat. “A brewery that we would run with
respect for our employees, the environment, and our community. A
brewery that reflected our deep respect for the art and science of
brewing. So here we are 26 years later. Very humbled, grateful, and
amazed that we got here in one piece. Still a mix of beer geeks and
boardheads. Still independent. Still trying to find that perfect
balance between art and commerce, work and play, inspiration and
perspiration.”

26 is the beer that celebrates that anniversary. It's a lager, as
befits the brewery that has become Oregon's biggest, best lager
brewery, and it's a Northwest take on a European classic and features
intense aromas of pine and spice with citrus notes and is supported
by a medium body, dry malty palate, and is balanced with a long,
clean, herbal hop finish, says Full Sail’s Executive Brewmaster
Jamie Emmerson. (ABV 6% IBU 60) It will be available throughout their
26th year on draft and in 22 oz bottles. (Emmerson is also lobbying
hard with the CEO --- his wife, Irene Firmat --- to have the beer
released in six-packs of 12-oz. bottles...let's hope!)

“One of the
most wonderful parts of being an Oregon brewer is that we have so
many hop fields nearby,” says Irene Firmat, “During harvest the
hops brighten the air with their wonderful aroma. Our 26th
anniversary beer is a tribute to all those hop growers, whose family
farms have been passed on generation to generation, and like our
barley farmers, grow one of the four foundations for all brews.
Without the farmers and their dedication to their craft, we

could not
pursue our own craft. Deep in the Willamette Valley, at Sodbuster Hop
Farms, there is an entire field of Salmon Safe Cascade hops that are
grown especially for Full Sail. It is in the spirit of this aromatic
partnership that we brewed our 26th anniversary beer – Full Sail
“26” Cascade Pilsner,”